Starting later this month, the Sedalia Democrat will transition to a twice-weekly print publication.
The Democrat currently prints a one-section newspaper Tuesday through Friday with a two-section paper on Saturdays. That schedule will change to a two-section paper on Tuesdays and Fridays.
“The newspaper industry has been going through major changes and challenges over the last two decades as people have shifted their news habits,” Publisher Jamila Khalil said. “Changing our print publication days was not an easy decision, but it was a decision that will allow the Democrat to adapt in an evolving market and continue operating as Pettis County’s only newspaper.”
Saturday, April 27 will mark the last Saturday edition of the Democrat. The following week, the Democrat will print two editions: Tuesday, April 30 and Friday, May 3. Moving forward, subscribers can expect to receive a two-section paper in their mailbox on Tuesdays and Fridays. Print and digital subscribers will continue to receive full access to sedaliademocrat.com, which includes local articles and the e-edition, which is a digital replica of the twice-weekly print edition.
For readers who want their news a little more quickly or who simply prefer digital to print, stories will continue to be posted on the Democrat’s website. Timely articles, such as meetings, events and breaking news, will be published as they happen, while content like feature stories and opinion columns will be posted throughout the week.
“We understand that our advertisers, our subscribers and our community will have questions and concerns about this upcoming change,” Khalil said. “Our staff has been working hard to prepare for this transition to make sure our print and digital products retain their high quality and continue to inform readers across West Central Missouri. While it might be difficult to get used to this adjustment, we are using this as an opportunity to make some improvements and add some new offerings.”
In both editions of the twice-weekly paper, readers will find news and sports content in the A section, along with an opinion page, and features and classified ads in the B section. The paper’s overall layout will remain the same, but readers will find updated design elements throughout the publication.
The newsroom is working on adding new monthly columns and weekly rotating features that will spotlight more community members whose stories deserve to be shared. The news team will also be striving to publish fewer articles from the Associated Press to allow for greater focus on local news and sports in the Democrat’s pages.
“Even with a change in our print publication schedule, our newsroom’s primary responsibilities won’t be changing,” Editor Nicole Cooke said. “Our team will continue to report on Sedalia and surrounding communities as much as possible, whether it’s about local sports, business developments, the latest city and county news, election coverage, or interesting feature stories. Your newspaper’s format might be changing, but our news coverage will remain consistent.”
Readers who have questions about this change or need assistance activating their online account can contact the Democrat at 660-826-1000. The Democrat, 111 W. Fourth St. in downtown Sedalia, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
